Elvis Presley record collection worth £50,000 stolen from pensioner

POLICE are appealing for help to catch a crook who stole a pensioner’s collection of Elvis Presley records worth £50,000.

A pensioner’s collection of Elvis Presley records worth £50,000 has been stolen

The collection of around 100 records, including very rare LPs and singles, was pinched during a raid at the home of an Elvis superfan in Dunmow in Essex.

Police this week appealed for anyone who is offered the rare vinyl - including a black RCA first edition single of All Shook Up and Heartbreak Hotel - to come forward.

Officers believe the records may have been stolen to order after the home was raided between November 21 and December 3.

Speaking this week, the victim in his 70s, who asked not to be named, said he had been left 'completely devastated' by the theft of his collection.

The victim, who is in his 70s, has been a massive Elvis fan all his life

Red Leeson

He said: "I've built this collection up over many years and it means an awful lot to me. It is not just the monetary value of these records, they have huge sentimental value and I just want them back."

Detective Constable Red Leeson said: "The victim, who is in his 70s, has been a massive Elvis fan all his life and has been collecting records for many years.

"We believe more than 100 records have been stolen in total, many of which are extremely rare and valuable, including a collection of LPs and 78s.

"We believe they must have known about the collection because nothing other than the Elvis records were taken."

GETTY

The victim is an Elvis superfan, in his 70s, from Essex

She added: "The victim has been left completely distraught as these are his prized possessions and it is a collection he has been building up over several decades.

"I believe he was targeted because of his collection.

"The person or people responsible would have needed a vehicle to transport all the records because of the amount of them taken and I believe someone must have seen or heard something.

"I especially want to speak to any dealers or collectors who may have been approached and offered a large collection of Elvis records."

Record shop boss Denholm Ellis, of Intense Records in Chelmsford, said he and other record buffs were going to club together to give the victim some Elvis records.

He said: "This guy's lost all his records, but we've got a lot lying around in the shop and the sellers have quite a few in their boxes.

"We've spoken to each other and decided to club together and put together as many Elvis records as we can at the next record fair at the start of January, and we'll try to get them to him."